Coming Home
by Horsewhisper
Summary: Amy comes home from being gone to college. She and Ty have been broke up for about two and a half years. But how will Amy take it when she finds out that Ty is getting...And if someone from Amy's past returns what will stir up...AmyTy
1. Reunion

-Reunion-

Hi I am new at this and not very good at summarys. So I will take any advice as long as you are just nice about it. Thank you! Oh yeah plz ignore spelling errors...

**Disclamer: Of course I don't own the characaters!! Even though I wish I did they aren't mine to take credit for!! There are although a few characters I have made up.**

* * *

Amy almost ran off the plane. She could feel her heart beating so fast against her chest. She was almost home. She hadn't had much time to visit since Virginia Tech had given her the news.

-_Flashback-_Amy could feel her hands shaking, she still to this day didn't like to go to the principal's office. But as the principal sat down, she began to relax. He explained the situation. They wanted her to go to England to help a small ranch for disabled kids. The principal's face was grave as he explained the ranches position. The Ranch was running out of it's trainers and they needed some help. Amy had been chosen to help with the horses and all the children in need. "So." he said "I will give you and your family sometime to think about it over the Christmas holiday."

-Present Day- Now as she got off the plane she felt so good to be home. Well close anyway. Overall she had been away from Heartland for 6 years, plus those last two that she had spent on the ranch in England. She had anticipated this moment for so long, her family here to greet her and everything. She was home for good. And there was Ty. But he had moved on, she reminded herself. Well so had she, or she was suppose to have had?

Looking around the lobby she spotted her family, there they were Lu, Scott, and their 7 year old. Matt, Sorya, (who had both since then, graduated college, and now Amy had heard tell that they were engaged.) Then there was her Grandpa, and her father, she gasped with glee, she could almost picture her mother there beside him. She felt her eyes mist over. But instead there was his wife and family. Next to them stood Ty. Their gazes caught and Amy felt as if her heart was in her throat. In his eyes she felt as if she were home already. Shaking the thought she averted her eyes. Jogging over to her family she began to hug them all. Lu took Amy's face in her hands, after recieving a big hug from her. "You have grown so much!" she almost squeeled. Amy walked to her best friends, Matt and Sorya. "Oh Amy!" she said wrapping her in a deep heart warming hug. Sorya whispered quietly in her ear, "It is ssssssssoooooooo good to see you." she said dragging out the "so". "I have so much to tell you!!!" "Me too!" Amy said. Releasing her she said "Will you be my maid of honor?" Amy's face lit up "Really??" "Well of course!!" "Well then I shall be honored!" Moving on to Matt she gave him a hug also. Next was Jack. "It's so good to see you, Grandpa." " How is my little vet?" "I'm good. Better now!" She soon came to where Ty was standing, there was a blonde headed girl beside him that she hadn't noticed before. Her heart almost skipped a beat to see him so close to a girl, besides her. It almost made her mad that he would have brought her along. But the anger soon disappered when he reached out and wrapped her in his arms, pulling her tightly into a hug. After exchanging a few words they both stepped back. "Amy, I would like for you to meet my Fiancee', Reagen." Suddenly Amy felt as if she could slip away. "Hi, I've heard so much about you." Ty was getting married.

Amy finally managed to slip away from her own homecoming party to go see the horses. There were quite a few new horses in the barn. Heartland had been doing well, it seemed. Amy felt that the whole day had flown by. She was still in shock that Ty was getting married. Even though they weren't together anymore, she still felt that something was missing. She hadn't expected to come home to this. She guessed that she had just always suspected that Ty and her could get over the fight that they had had the night they broke up. Now everything she was feeling began to come out as a tear slipped her face.

As Amy walked down through the next barn she spotted Sundance. Her horse, Sunndance's head shot up from his hay net. Amy half sprinted to get the rest of the way to his stall. Sundance whinnied as ih to say "Where have you been lately." Amy took his head in her hands and rubbed the older horses forehead lightly. Now she was truely home.


	2. Planning for Wedding Number 1

-Planning for Wedding Number One-

(Sorya and Matt)

A/n: Ok guys I am really sorry the last one was so short I will try to make these chapters way longer. And another thing, I am not good with summaries, so plz hang with me. Oh yes and another thing, I am not trying to copy rainpaint , the name of the story had been something I had been thinking about for a long time. Also where it is italicized, Amy is remembering. And if some of these names are wrong please feel free to tell me, I finished the books some while ago.

* * *

Amy sighed as she leaned back into the barn wall. It had been a really long day. She was glad to be home. But since returning earlier that day she had tried to avoid Ty. She just couldn't handle it. 

Looking down at her hand she noticed the ring that Ty had given her several years back. She remembered being parked on that back road before Ashley's Christmas dance, Ty had told her about the ring when he gave it to her. Even though they were broke up Amy wore it on her finger to this day.

She sniffled quietly using the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. Sundance had lain down in his stall so Amy now used his back as a pillow. Only a few minutes ago she had let the tears run freely down her face.

She could hear the barn radio playing quietly in the distance. It was almost a soothing sound until the song she probably didn't want to hear most, began to play.

She said...  
I was seven and you were nine  
I looked at you like the stars that shined  
In the sky, the pretty lights  
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us,  
Growing up and fallin' in love  
And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes  
And said, "Oh, my, my, my"

That was how it had been. Jack, Amy's grandfather, had always joked about how when they would grow up and get married. That now seemed like so long ago. She could reach back in her memory and remember the time when standing in the barn, the radio was playing away, her and Ty the only ones in the barn at that moment.

_Ty reached out and grabbed Amy by the hand. Amy was startled by his actions but as he pulled her into the middle of the barn isle she didn't hesitate to put down her pitchfork and follow him. _

_He proceeded to drawl him into her and they swayed to the quiet music. His emerald eyes stared into her grey ones and she could feel herself slowly drifting away, becoming lost in the moment. _

_Ty pulled her close__r__. Amy simply relaxed, leaning her body fully into Ty's. Her head lying on his chest, she could feel his heart beating steadily. _

_"Amy?" Ty whispered quietly. _

_"Yes?" she said trying to find her voice. _

_"I love you." He said. _

_Amy wished she could speak clearly, but it seemed as if her voice wouldn't allow it. "I love you too." She said, surprising herself at how wonderful and clear those words were. _

Took me back to the house in the backyard tree  
Said you'd beat me up you were bigger than me  
You never did, you never did  
Took me back when our world was one block wide  
I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried  
Just two kids, you and I  
Oh, my, my, my, my

_Ty pushed her away gently__, but only long enough to look her directly in the eye, before pulling her face towards his. Slowly their heads inclined and their mouths met gently in the middle._

Well I was sixteen when suddenly  
I wasn't that little girl you used to see  
But your eyes still shined, like pretty lights  
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us,  
They never believed we'd really fall in love  
And our mamas smiled, and rolled their eyes  
And said, "Oh, my, my, my"

Amy felt another tear sting her face. She quickly wiped it away, trying at the same time to wash away her memories.

Took me back to the creek beds we turned up  
Two A.M. ridin' in your truck  
And all I need, is you next to me  
Took me back to the time we had our very first fight  
Slammin' of doors 'stead of kissin' goodnight  
You stayed outside, 'till the morning light  
Oh, my, my, my, my

Amy could clearly remember some of their fights. Looking back now they all seemed so dumb.

A few years had gone and come around  
We were sittin' at our favorite spot in town  
And you looked at me, got down on one knee

Took me back to the time when we walked down the isle  
Our whole town came and our mamas cried  
You said I do, and I did too  
Take me home where we met so many years before  
We'll rock our babies on the very front porch  
After all this time, you and I  
in the sky  
Oh, my, my, my

And I'll be eighty-seven, you'll be eighty-nine  
I'll still look at you like the stars that shine A few years had gone and come around  
We were sittin' at our favorite spot in town  
And you looked at me, got down on one knee

This was how she had hoped her life with Ty would have turned out.

A few minutes later she heard footsteps in the barn; she quickly wiped her eyes again, but remained seated. It was Sorya who popped her head over the stall door.

"I thought I would find y…" she trailed off, "Are you ok?" she asked stepping inside the stall as quickly as she could. Sorya crouched down next to her friend, her eyes demanding a clear answer.

"Sure I'm fine." Amy said hurriedly.

"Amy," she paused for a moment. "I know you well, you don't get upset over anything." She said.

"No really I'm fine." But Amy's mind was yelling something else. "It's just that I'm so happy to be home, it has been so long."

Sorya eyed her skeptically, but she seemed to give her the ok. She stood up stretching her legs. "C'mon lets go inside."

Amy reluctantly stood up and followed her friend inside.

* * *

A few moments later Amy sneaked past all of the guests and made her way upstairs. Walking into her room she saw all of her pictures she hadn't seen in so long, everything in her room looked like how she had left it. 

Looking in the mirror she saw that her eyes were red.

"What is wrong with me?" she whispered. "I should be happy for Ty and move on, I can't live like this." She said letting her last tear fall.

Amy grabbed a pop as she headed into the living room where several people were gathered, including Ty and Reagan. Sorya and Matt sat nearby talking to them.

Amy walked over and sat down next to Sorya. "There you are she said."

"Yeah, we haven't seen much of you." Matt chimed in.

Amy just shrugged. They began to talk about her vetting, and where she would work, and how things had been when she was gone.

By the end of the night Amy was tired out, most of the guests had gone home except for Sorya, Matt, Reagan, Ty, and a few others.

"Oh…" Matt groaned as he stood up to stretch his legs, "We better get going chick-a-dee." He said with a smile in Sorya's direction.

Sorya groaned at the use at that nickname, "Yeah we better run, my parents might be wondering where I am." She said lightly. "Hey Amy, you wanna go for a ride tomorrow so we can catch up." She said her eyes gleaming.

"Oh sure, then we can talk." Amy said using her fingers to make bunny ears around the talk.

"Girls." Ty said.

"Yes and you are about to marry one of them." Reagan said grinning.

Amy gritted her teeth, looking down at her empty pop can. She gasped hopping Ty hadn't seen the ring that she was still wearing. When he looked away she quickly slipped it off her finger and pocketed it before he noticed.

"Well we better go too." Ty pointed out.

Amy got up and followed them to the door. Amy reached out to give Sorya and Matt a hug, and again thanking them for coming. Sorya smiled as she and Matt made their way out the door.

"Reagan, why don't you go get in the truck, I have to grab a few things." Ty stated.

"Ok." she said before reaching up to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

Amy winced and looked down as she did so.

Reagan left leaving Ty and Amy standing in the entry way all alone. Amy looked up but wasn't able to meet his gaze.

"I..." Ty and Amy both said at the same time.

"No you go ahead." Amy said.

"No you." he said.

"I..." they both said again at the same time.

"Ok I'm gonna talk first,"Ty said with a grin before either could say something again at the same tiime.

Amy could now meet his gaze. They had both grown up alot.

"Amy, it is so good to have you back, I really missed you." he said looking down at her.

"Ty it's good to see you too. I am happy for you and Reagan." the words left her mouth like a robot, they felt so bitter to her toung it was hard to show her untrue happieness for them. She had been trying for the last half hour to convince herself that she was happy fo the two of them, but when she said she was, the words still didn't sound true. Amy hopped that Ty hadn't noticed.

Ty reached out and wrapped her in a hug. Amy couldn't help but notice how easily their bodys fit together, like the peices of a puzzel.

"Goddbye Amy." he said. But before he left he bent down to kiss her lightly on the cheek. " I'm glad your home." he said and then he walked out the door.

Amy reached up and touched the place where he had kissed her, she wished it was she who were marrying him instead.

* * *

Ty climbed into the truck and turned to his fiancee' "Ready?" he asked. 

"Absolutely." Reagan said sliding to the middle seat by Ty.

They drove in silence until they were nearing Reagan's house. Ty was the first to break the silence.

"Reagan?" he said looking down at the girl who had her head on his shoulder, his fiancee', he liked the sound of the words.

"Yes?" she said quietly.

"I need you to know something." Ty said struggeling with his words.

"Yes?" she said again, now sitting up to face him.

"Well I need you to know that me and Amy, well...we have had a history together...I just don't that to bother you..." he said trailing off.

"Well it is over now isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes..." he said "We are just really good friends now."

"Ok then there is nothing to worry about is there?"

"No." Ty said with a sigh of relief.

Ty stopped the truck in front of the little appartment home that Reagan owned in the middle of town. "Well I guess I will call you." he said.

"You better." Reagan stated.

"I will." he said.

They leaned into each other sharing one long kiss before Reagan climbed out of his truck. "Goodbye my husband-to-be." she said as she waved goodbye.

"Three more months." Ty said after her.

"And counting." Reagan hollered as he pulled away.

* * *

Amy walked out of the barn early the next day, pushing the wheel barrow in front of her. She hadn't even been home for 24 hours yet. She covered her hand to hide a yawn as she dumped the wheel barrow. As she pushed it back inside she could here the quite vroom of a vehicle pulling into the drive, supposing it was Ty she went on about her work. But a familar voice behind her interupted her thoughts causing her to turn around. 

"Well it's about time for you to come home." Joni said.

Amy turned and ran to her friend, "Joni!" she said wrapping her in a warm embrace.

"How are you doing?" Joni asked her.

"Oh I'm ok." Amy said stepping back. "So how has life treated you?"

"Pretty good actually!" she said.

"So hows the husband?" Amy asked getting a sly look on her face.

Joni had been married a week after Nancy and Amy's grandfather had been married, but thankfully both weddings had been planned on Amy's break so she could attend both. Nancy and Joni were both going on being married for three years.

"Oh pretty good." Joni said rolling her eyes. "What have you done already?"

"The haynets and the stalls have been filled and cleaned."

Joni's eyes widened "You just got home Amy why are you doing all of this?" she said getting almost a motherely look in her eyes.

"Because I miss it." Amy said.

Joni shook her head "Amy, Amy, Amy..." she said trailing off.

Amy grinned before turning around to finish her work.

"Oh and Amy." Joni said catching her in mid-stride.

Amy turned around again to face her friend.

"You need to help me come up with names." she said smiling.

Amy gasped in delight, running to give her friend another hug. "I am so happy for you!!" she said, before stepping back. "Now wait shouldn't I be asking you what you are doing here?"

"I'm finr for now." Joni said walking to the feed room, "Like you said I miss it..." she said grinning.

Amy laughed and both girls began to finish there chores.

Later Ty appeared walking down through the barn and began to help also with the everyday routine. "Hey Amy." he said walking to her, "What do you think you are doing in here, you are suppose to be taking a break."

"A break?" Amy said trying to dound as cheerful as possible "You want me to take a break right after I get back from being on about a 8 year break?"

"Yes, now I'm demanding you to leave, and plus the fact you prommised to go for a ride with Sorya and she just pulled in." he said with a smile. Ty started to shoo her out of the barn with his hands and then he took away the can of feed she was holding. "Now go! And no sneaking back in. I'll get two horses ready."

"But T..." she tried to say before he cut her off.

"No buts...go." he said grinning at her.

"Fine..." she said as she began to laugh. Amy turned and jogged to Sorya's car in the drive way, it had almost felt like old times.

Back in the barn Joni turned to Ty "How did you get her to leave?" she questioned him.

"It's magic." Ty said with a smile.

Amy and Sorya sat side by side in the kitchen. Amy's Dad and his wife and their daughter were gathered around the table with Nancy, Jack and Amy's niece who had spent the night, Kiley. Lou and Scott had planned to go into town early that morning and Kiley hated going to town so she had just stayed the night.

"Grandma?" Kiley asked. Nancy looked down Lou's daughter.

Amy could remember that when Nancy had married Jack the thought had never occured to call her Grandma, Amy had been the one to start the trend. Lou was gone and Nancy was the only one in the house but Amy hadn't known. She and Ty had just broke up, she had started telling herself how stupid she and yelling at herself when Nancy walked in to ask if she was ok. She had cried the whole story out to her, as of why she was upset anyway, and thats when she told her that how she really appreciated her. When she was ready to go back to Virginia Tech later that afternoon she hugged Nancy telling her how much of a Grandmother she had been to her. Kiley was four at the time and when she heard Amy saying Grandma she took delight in saying it to so every since then Amy, Lou, and Kiley had called her Grandma.

Amy smiled at her niece and continued to eat her breakfast.

Amy's father and Helena stood up grabbing there daughters they began to tell everyone goodbye.

"It was good to see you, Nancy." Tim said giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Oh...good to see you too. Now," she said. " You be careful and have a safe flight, call us soon!"

"We will." Helena said.

Amy followed them out the door. As they neered the corner of the house they could see the cab pulling up the long drive way.

"I guess this is goodbye?" Tim asked.

"Only if you make it that way." Amy said, repeating the lines that they had said to one another since the very first time they had met.

Tim grinned at his daughter, his smile covering most of his face.

"You will call won't you?" Amy said half leaping into his arms for a hug.

"Of courses we will." her father, Tim, said hugging her back. He released his daughter.

"You be good now girls." Amy said to her step sisters. She gave both of their little bodys a tight squeeze before standing up eye level with Helena. Amy reached out and hugged her, "I'm going to miss you." Even though Amy would probably never call her step mother mom, they were still friends.

"Take care of yourself, Amy, we love you." she released her step daughter giving her hand a final squeeze stepped back to get into the cab.

As the cab pulled away Amy saw Sorya walking out of the house. Walking over to her friend they both walked to the barn.

* * *

Soon Amy and Sorya were riding and talking like Amy had never been gone.

"It was a Saturday afternoon, " Sorya continued the story of how Matt had proposed.

Amy was so excited for her friends who would soon be marrried in 1 week.

"He took me riding on his brothers ranch, we stayed out really late and so he built a little fire, oh it was so romantic..." she sighed.

Amy rolled her eyes at her friend and nodded at her to continue her story.

"Anyways he got down on one knee and proposed!" Sorya half squeeled.

A little later the two girls were cantering up the ridge side by side. It felt so good to be back on Sundance's back again. She smiled as the sun began to set. The girls had stayed out riding all afternoon as if to make up for the time they had lost from being away from one another. Sorya had explained the reason Matt had waited so long was because he had wanted them both to have been out of college. They talked about how the school life had been to Amy and what England was like. But soon the two girls were tired out and with the sun setting in front of them they walke slowly home.


	3. More Surprises

**Ok here is chapter 3…I have got a review or two saying poor Amy…well just wait the whole stor****y will pick up here pretty soon…**

* * *

More Surprises

Amy threw the hay roughly into the hay nets. She was so tired that she wasn't even sure what she was doing. She had only been home for three days and she still hadn't managed to get a decent night of sleep. Today she and Sorya would go to have their dresses altered. The day of their ride they had talked about the wedding for hours the colors were; purple and black. Amy thought the color choice had been chosen by both Matt and her. The cake was beautiful as Sorya described it, and the dresses were purple with a strip of black at the top. Well except for the brides dress.

"Hey Amy!" Ty said as he walked past her.

Amy stood up quickly and waved at him "Hey!" she said as cheerful as possible.

"Amy are you ok?" he asked walking over to her a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine." She said smiling. And the truth was that that smile was almost real. She had spent the last few nights in which she couldn't sleep convincing herself that she was happy for him. And actually she was almost convinced. Almost.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Ty I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all."

"Ok." Ty said giving her shoulder a pat. "If you are sure."

Amy nodded and watched as Ty smiled at her and turned to walk to one of the stalls.

"Have you seen Spindle yet?" he asked from across the barn.

"Oh, yes." Amy said smiling. "He has grown so much." That was one thing she could be happy with.

"Hey!" Ty said again.

Amy looked up to see him leaning against a pitchfork. "Yeah?"

"I need you to help me with Crystal this afternoon. Do you feel up to it."

Amy smiled "Of course."

"Good." Ty said before getting back to work.

Joni was taking the day off so it was just Amy and Ty.

Around lunch time Ty took off to go eat with Reagan, so Amy walked by herself slowly to the house. Once inside she sat down in the kitchen. There was some leftover lunch for her just like her grandfather had promised. Amy dipped the lasagna on to a plate and stuck it in the microwave.

"Hey Amy?" Jack said sticking his head around the door.

"Yeah?" she asked turning to him.

"Will you come into the living room? Nancy and I would like to talk to you."

Amy gave him a confused look but followed him slowly into the living room.

Amy saw Nancy was already there so she gave her a quick smile before setting down in front of her and Jack.

Jack's eyes were soft but serious as he looked from Amy to his wife. Nancy gave a quick nod and Jack began.

"Amy, "he said slowly. "In your mother's will, she said that the house and the farm would be yours. I haven't told you before because you were too young and then you went to college. And then you were gone another two years." Jack shook his head a little before reaching into his pocket and handing Amy a little faded yellow piece of paper. "I hope you don't think ill of me Amy, because I waited, but it was just kind of something I avoided, I'm sorry."

Amy sat absolutely still in her spot, a baffled expression on her face. Reaching out her hand she took the paper in her hand.

She felt a tear sting her eye as she opened the letter and saw her mother's neat writing outlining the whole paper to the very bottom.

It read;

_Dear Amy_

_If you are reading this I guess I'm not around to tell you myself. Heartland has always meant so much to me, the family the horses everything I always loved it when you would ask to help me with a horse. And I knew that someday you would grow up and you would want to live the same lifestyle. You were my little lifesaver, because I knew I would never have to worry about the farm coming into hands of somebody who would destroy it. Therefore since you are reading this you must be old enough to take care of the farm by yourself. I hope you followed every dream and you turned out to be that vet you always wanted to be. I love you. __Wish Ty my __love;__ I hope __he is still working there whenever someone gives this to you. But if you are reading this it means I only got to make changes to my letter to you once. I love you Amy. Live your dreams to they're very fullest and __never lose hope. _

_Love Mom_

_Marion Fleming _

Amy had to cover her mouth to regain all stability in her voice and facial expressions. Jack reached out a hand and put it on her one hand which lay on her knee.

"Do you hate me?"

"Of course not!" she said before jumping up to hug him. Her tears streamed into his shirt and he held her that much tighter. "But even if the house is mine you will still live here right?"

Jack let go of her and stood back in front of her. "No, Amy."

Amy looked confused "But then where will you live?"

"Amy, we bought our own house not far from here."

"But that's not fair of me."

"Yes it is." Jack said "This is your home, and it isn't fair of us."

"But I want you to stay, I don't want this to be the reason you leave, because of something my mom said in a will."

"Amy it's not just that, I mean this is where you belong and you are old enough you need your space. You need your own home."

"But you never left when mom was here with us."

"That is because she had you alone to take care of, plus the farm. You have the farm which is in a way better position now, and you are known all around the world, business is so good here now. Amy this is where you belong."

Amy nodded slowly and then a smile began to spread across her face. "I love you." She said hugging him again.

"I love you too Amy and I know you will make your mother proud."

Amy stepped back and then wrapped Nancy in a hug.

When Amy stepped back she wiped a tear from her face and sniffled. "Thank you, thank you for everything you do for me, both of you."

Jack smiled "Hey and we are just a phone call away; you haven't got rid of me that easy. We are going to leave now, all or stuff is packed, just call this number if you need anything." He said handing her a piece of paper.

"You already have a house?" she questioned, taking the paper he was handing her.

"Yes, it's the old Parkinson's place, just a mile or two down the old dirt road."

Amy smiled and waved goodbye as she watched her grandparents pull away, she felt another tear trail down her face and she clutched the yellowed piece of paper. Ty had come back since she had been inside and she set her hand on the truck and looked off into the sun. The years had flown by so quickly and here she was two years out of school and standing at home once again. Somebody should have hit her in the head for going off and leaving home right after college. She had been gone for so long. How she wished she hadn't left.

"Hey is everything all right." Ty asked walking up behind her.

Amy turned to him quickly wiping away a tear with the back of her hand. "Yeah I'm fine." She said. "Read this." She said sticking out the piece of paper.

Ty opened it and began to read. He had to swallow a lump in his throat when he neared the bottom. When he finished he let go of the paper with one hand and move towards Amy wrapping his one arm around her.

Amy lay against him as he held her and his chin rested on her head. After a few minutes he released her and handed her the yellowed paper back. Amy took it and pocketed it. Ty smiled down at her. He wrapped his arm around her and they slowly made their way to the barn.

When they walked into the ring, Crystal was walking slowly behind them.

"What's the problem?"

"Oh, you will see in just a second."

Amy gave him a confused grin as he sat down on top of the corral fence. She decided that since she hadn't worked with Crystal before that she would join up with her first. Amy unclipped the lung line but soon decided to take her halter off also. She reached out her hand to grab hold of it but the mare jumped sideways and took off at a trot around the ring. Her eyes glinted with mischievousness, and it was almost as if she was laughing at her. Amy turned to Ty and quirked an eyebrow as a smile spread out across his face. Amy turned to her work and flicked the rope at the mare that now stood in the corner sniffing the dirt.

Crystal jumped but her ornery look returned and she took off around the pen holding her tail high and picking her feet up in almost a showy form or a Tennessee walker way, or maybe not as high. Her head was high in the air and the wind was blowing her mane beautifully.

But soon Amy asked her to pick up speed. She ran tantalizingly in the circle stretching out her neck.

"She is pretty." Ty said shrugging his shoulders and laughing at the same time.

"Aren't they all?" Amy said over the pounding of hoofs. "So? Who is the owner?"

"Brooke Rounds." He said shaking his head slightly. "Sweet little girl." He said. "She was born premature, the size of a dollar bill, is what her parents said. She is 4'2." Ty said looking to Amy.

"Gosh." Amy said raising an eyebrow.

Amy flicked the rope at the mare again and watched as she circled around her. But after a few minutes Amy began to smile as the mare began the chewing motions with her mouth and her inside ear was pricked in Amy's direction.

Amy relaxed her shoulders and turned her back on the horse. Ty watched as the horse stopped and looked at her back and then slowly very slowly made her way across the huge round pen to Amy. Ty smiled and watched as she walked around the arena. Crystal was showing her trust in Amy.

Amy smiled to herself and reached out to rub the mare between her eyes. Amy turned around and walked around the ring some more, Crystal right on her heels. Amy had forgotten how good it felt to join up with a horse. She had joined up with other horses over the past eight years but they weren't problem horses. She couldn't believe she had been gone for eight years. The thought of that made tears sting the back of her eyes.

Amy reached out and grabbed hold of Crystal's halter and clipped on the lung line. She relaxed and smiled, this always felt so good. The connection between horse and human. Amy reached out and patted the mares back. She stood there looking at everything that was hers. Hers. Her mother had left all this for her.

Ty hopped off the corral fence and walked over slowly to Amy.

"Once again, very good at working your magic." Ty said smiling at her.

Amy took a fake bow "Why thank you kind sir."

Ty laughed and made his way over to her. "So all this, this is your land?"

Amy sighed, and saw out of the corner of her eye Crystal walking slowly around her and Ty.

"Yeah, I do guess, it hasn't really sunk in yet, but yeah."

Ty felt the rope wrapping around his legs as the white mare walked around his back and then back over behind Amy to sniffle at her hair. He summoned up the most seriousness look that he could

"So are you going to fire me?"

Amy looked at him and began to laugh. Crystal was sniffing his hands for treats and the more she walked around Amy was absentmindedly releasing more of the lung line.

"Na…you're pretty good I'll keep you around." She said.

"Well the little girl had some problems catching her." Ty said finishing the story.

"Hopefully she will come out here and we can let her go catch her." Amy said.

"Phone number is on the clip board." He said.

Amy patted Crystal's back as she went behind her again sniffing the dirt. Then suddenly a horse from another pasture whinnied and Crystal through her head up and took off at a run to the side of the pen. Amy still held the end of the lung line in hand and so Crystal's quick movement pulled the rope around their legs tight and Ty almost fell into Amy and the two of them both hit the ground. Soon Crystal turned around and saw them on the ground and walked slowly over to them.

"Well that was fun." Ty said laughing as he sat up and started undoing the rope.

Amy laughed and sat up beside him pushing down the lung line. This felt so good. It was almost like old times why had she been gone for so long? She felt the tears prickling her eyes, and as the lung line was free she pulled her knees into herself and wrapped her arms around them.

Ty held the lung line in one hand but stayed in his sitting position.

"Amy? Are you ok? You seem kind of distant."

Amy didn't say anything for a moment, and then she let out the breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding in.

"Why?" she said feeling her emotions take over her body and begin to speak for themselves as a tear fell from her cheek.

Ty was usually quiet, but he would always listen to her and help her through her problems. And so he asked "Why what?" he said with concern in his voice and on his face.

"Why…why did I leave this family behind that I love so much? Why did I leave here? I did want to become a vet, but so much has changed now…You and me…"she said hoarsely.

"But Amy…" Amy cut him off quickly.

"No Ty listen…I left the place I loved and then I was gone for another two years to England leaving the most important thing in my life behind."

"Amy…you left us because you followed your heart and helped someone in need and that is just like you to do that, it is in your spirit to do kind things…Of course we all missed you, but what would have happened if you hadn't done any of that? I mean you would be mad at yourself wouldn't you?"

Amy nodded her head lightly "Probably."

A little while later they stood in the barn as Amy took off Crystal's halter, and exited her stall. How could she have left this place?

"Ty." She started quietly "What happened? To us I mean?" as Amy said this she felt as if someone else was talking for her, she couldn't believe these words were coming out of her mouth.

Ty looked up abruptly. The shocked expression he was wearing soon began to vanish. "Amy…" he sighed reaching out his hand to lay it on her shoulder. "I think it was because…maybe…no, we needed a break from each other, and possibly a permanent break." He reached out a hand and wiped a falling tear from her eye.

"We couldn't take the distance for so long…" she said pulling away.

"Well actually the distance thing was going pretty good for a little while…" he said more to himself. "Hey why don't I help you move your stuff into your Mother's room…That is if that's where you will be sleeping now…" he said quietly.

Jack had had his own room in the house, so that room hadn't been slept in since Marnie had stayed. Amy turned to him an unreadable expression outlining her face.

"I'd like that." She said a smile crawling slowly across her face.

Amy opened the door to her mother's room and looked around slowly scanning all the pictures with her eyes. Ty stood patiently behind her letting her have a moment to herself. Amy looked to the bed which was neatly made with the bedspread of running horses over it. The bed was a huge king size, and sat cattycornered in the corner of the room. The head board stood high at the head of the bed, it was half of a huge wagon wheel with wood over the top and the heartland brand in the corner, an H in the middle of a heart. The footboard was the same thing, a huge top half of a wagon wheel in a square.

Then on the left side of the bed was the night stand. Amy scanned from the bottom of it upward to where the lamp sat and to the side something caught her eye. It was a picture of her and her mother. They were standing beside Sundance and Amy was holding a blue ribbon and one of her other black gloved hands rested on Sundance's neck. Her mom's left hand rested on Amy's opposite shoulder and her right hand was a little above her elbow and their cheeks were against each other. Amy was about 9 and was wearing her complete show outfit and her mother stood bent over beside her, her hair was falling to the other side of her head. She wore her leather jacket with the fringe on it and her jeans and boots outlined her tall legs and slim features.

Amy gasped and put her hand to her mouth at the sight of this and put her hand to her mouth.

Later the two were hauling in sacks of clothes which Amy would go through by herself later. They would be folded and but in the huge brown wooded chest on the right side of the room. The small couch outlined the same wall on the right side of the bed. It was made of leather and a huge horse throw hung over its middle and two small square pillows were sat in its two corners. Ty brought in everything that was to heavy for Amy to get, and she brought in all her pictures.

Soon she also brought in all her clothes on hangers and opened the closet. All her mother's dresses and shirts were hanging in the right corner of the closet and her show stuff hung behind that. Her riding boots sat under the clothes in the floor. Ty came in right behind her with a box of all her board games and a huge cow hide rug with horses running in the center and the edges of the rug were everywhere, not rounded like most. The outer of the rug was cow hide, and it faded away to the inside which horses ran across it. Ty laid it out in the center of the hard wood floor and the bottom of it gripped the floor so no one would slip and have the rug sliding out from underneath them.

Ty felt the room grow with tension as Amy looked through a box of her mother's things. She needed Lou more than ever to have someone to talk to. But what Ty didn't seem to realize was that he was being a pretty good listener himself. Thinking quickly Ty went over to the nightstand where they had sat her radio, and turned it on.

Amy held the leather jacket to her face and smelled her mother's beautiful scent in the leather. The radio was playing in the back ground and Amy wondered what Ty was doing. But it all seemed to disappear when her thoughts ventured back to her mother.

'What do I do mom, I'm lost, I'm need help, I don't think I can do this.' She said in her mind almost as if a prayer.

Ty walked over slowly to her. He got down on his knees beside her. Without saying a word he pushed the box which she was going through away from her, and took her hand. Amy turned to him a confused look playing against her face. He stood up and helped her up and led her to the center of the room. Then he took the leather jacket from her and turned her around. She put her arms back and he gently slid the jacket up them. Amy stood still with her back to him and he reached his hands out and pulled her hair out from under the collar and it fell gently at her back. Amy turned around to face him.

"You look so much like your mother, she would be so proud of you."

Amy felt tears welling up in her eyes again but Ty quickly went on.

"Here," he said "Sit down."

Amy looked a little taken aback but she sat down anyway. They sat across from each other. Ty reached behind his back and pulled a small thin rectangular box out. The title read "Horseopoly". Amy began to smile and giggle at almost the same time and she slowly felt her sadness slipping away as they played the night away laughing and moving they're pieces slowly around the board.

Ty slowly opened his eyes and saw Amy asleep, laying across from him on the hard floor. The game had long since ended and Amy lay still in her mother's leather jacket. She looked so peaceful to Ty. They had spent half the night talking about their lives and everything about Heartland and the horses. He had really enjoyed talking to her but it was 4:30 in the morning already and the radio was still playing and the lamp was still on, casting its light on the nightstand picture and the entire room.

Ty slowly stood up with a groan and stumbled over to Amy's bed. Pulling back the covers he walked back to her and carefully picked her up and set her back down in her bed. After pulling the covers back over her he turned off the lamp and walked slowly to the door. Reaching the door he flipped on the fan and closed the door behind him as he made his way slowly outside.

* * *

**What did you think????!!! Ok now make your way down to the little box below and ****gimme**** a review!!! Sorry I can't help my greediness'****! Ok also in your review tell me what you think would be a better name for my story. I did know when I wrote it that it was also the title of the first book…so tell me a name and it might be the one that the story gets called!!! Bye bye…Tune in next time…**

**Horsewhisper**


	4. Change

**Ok I hope that so far you have enjoyed this story, thanks for all the great reviews!**** Also I think I might keep the name…****Here is chapter 4.**

* * *

Change

Amy sat up abruptly in bed and saw the game spread out across the rug and couldn't help but smile. Maybe she could be happy for Ty and actually manage to still be friends with him. He had been a great friend the night before; he had talked to her and made her feel so much better. Slowly she pushed back the covers and looked down to see she was still in the leather jacket. Slowly her eyes began to adjust to the bright light shining into the room from the window. She stood up and reached for the sheets as she began to make the bed.

A few minutes later she put the last decorative horse pillow on the bed. Her eyes ventured back to the lamp stand where the picture sat and on the left hand side a little in front of the lamp she noticed her alarm clock.

"Eight a clock!" she nearly screamed, and hurried to grab some clothes to put on.

She noticed the door to the bathroom was cocked open a little. She found it nice that she didn't even have to leave her room to get dressed or have a shower. She walked slowly inside. Her mom's jewelry was laid out on the vanity and some of her hair stuff was there too. Amy reached out a hand to touch her mother's necklace. She caressed the little, silver, running horse charm that hung neatly on the silver chain.

Her mother wasn't a prissy girl, but she always knew when it was the right time to wear her dresses or her nice clothes, such as church. Amy had learned that very trait of her mother's with her growing of age, not that she liked it or anything but her mother had always told her that; there was a time to be a tomboy and a time to be a lady. She could always respect her mother for that.

Amy silently turned the horse over there on the back it read "Love Tim." Amy felt shocked; she had never noticed that before. She had worn that necklace all the time even on the day that she died. She must have actually still thought of him as either a close friend or still cared for him. Amy couldn't decide between the two thoughts. But she soon remembered the time and ran to finish getting ready.

Ty looked up to see Amy hustling out of the house. Her leather jacket covered the t-shirt she wore underneath and her jeans were stuffed in the short top of her ariat boots. Her brown hair fell straight at her shoulders and her gray eyes were accented with happiness and joy. There was a silver charm hanging from her neck and Ty recognized it as the one her mother had worn. She was running to him hopping one foot trying to pull down her jeans over the tops of her boots. He couldn't help but stand up and lean against his pitchfork and laugh a little. He still felt a little tired from the night before, or more less that morning.

Amy stopped in front of him and put her hands on her hips.

"What?" she questioned a smile sliding across her face.

"Nothing…" Ty said with a last chuckle "It's just good to see you happy."

Amy smiled at him "So since I have been gone, Spindle has grown up quite a bit, did someone continue the training, I don't know, umm…Marty, she would have been my second pick to continue the training."

Ty raised his eyebrow at her "No we didn't pay to have him trained further." He said.

Amy looked a little disappointed "Ty…not to harp, but you promised me that the training would be continued, he is older now and it will take longer, you know I would have trained him myself, but there were changes to the original plan…Ty, how…"

Amy was cut off when Ty took a step over to her and put his finger over her lips.

"Amy he was trained though."

"How…"

Before she could say any more Ty took her by the arm and led her into the barn. He stopped in front of Spindleberry's stall. Amy looked in at her gorgeous horse. Slowly she reached in her arm and with her hand patted him softly on the nose.

"I did." He said leaning over and whispering quietly in her ear.

Amy turned abruptly "You did??!!" she asked her heart bubbling.

"No I lied." He said shaking his head "Yes I did." He said beginning to laugh.

"Oh thank you Ty!" she said wrapping him in a hug.

"You shouldn't thank me yet, you haven't even rode him." He said stepping back.

"Well that is all about to change." She said turning around and heading to the tack room to get her riding boots.

Ty shook his head but followed her to the tack room to get a saddle.

Later Amy walked beside Ty holding Spindle's reins. The horse was following her obediently. This was yet another thing that Amy had fallen through on. If she had only of been here she could have watched her colt grow, and trained him herself. But she knew that it wasn't like she could go back and change time. She had made her decision and she had to be happy with it.

Amy stopped when she heard a car pulling into the driveway. It was Marnie. Marnie had moved to Virginia from New York when Lou was close to having her baby and took over her job. Ever since then she had worked been working in the little make shift office they had sat up for her in the barn. She was becoming even good with the horses. But her main job was all the paperwork.

"Hey!" Marnie said getting out of the car.

Also behind her Lou and Kiley got out. They had been on vacation lately and now were home now. Quite a bit they would come over and Kiley would ride and Lou would help out with the paperwork.

It then hit Amy how little she knew about her niece, and her family. A couple times she had been home and they had went riding together, she, Lou and Kiley. That was something she needed to do. She wanted to know her family again. She was finally where she belonged again. Back to where her heart and soul lived. She had to get back in to the heart of Heartland. It was where she belonged.

And at that point her whole attitude began to change. She couldn't go on living like this. She had made her choice to go off to school and England. Now she was making the choice to make her life here at Heartland everything it could be. She was home. And so was every part of her.

"Ty will you hold him for a second?" Amy asked handing over the reins.

"Sure." Ty said. Even he could see something different about her. It was like she had finally chosen to live with her decisions. It was also as if she had freed her spirit and was now back to the Amy that everyone knew.

* * *

**Ok I'm sorry it is short, but I just felt as if this made the best ending for the chapter…take your fusses up with me later…I am sorry…but ****is**** was kind of time that she got a bit of a wakeup call…**

**-Horsewhisper-**


End file.
